Azerbaijani soldiers shooting at 13th century Charektar Monastery
On 26 September a video released on the internet showed Azerbaijani soldiers shooting at the 13th century Armenian monastery of Charektar in Nagorno-Karabakh. The shots were fired from an armoured personnel carrier and sniper rifles. The attack comes in the context of the ethnic cleansing and military offensive launched on 19 September by Azerbaijan against the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh which is also targeting Armenian Christianity in the region.
Commenting on the video, Caucasus Heritage Watch (CHW), an NGO monitoring and reporting on endangered and damaged cultural heritage in the Caucasus, said: "Such attacks are in direct violation of the ICJ’s provisional measure concerning Armenian cultural heritage and must be investigated and prosecuted."
Monument Watch, another NGO reporting on targeted attacks against Armenian patrimony in the region commented on the attack: "In occupied territories, it is mandatory to respect cultural values, and acts of reprisal and the confiscation of heritage are prohibited. Article 9 of the Second Protocol of 1999 to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict prohibits the destruction of cultural property in areas under enemy control. It is of utmost importance to emphasize that the International Court of Justice has confirmed that the laws in force in the occupied territories, including provisions for the protection of cultural values, have attained the status of international customary law (as per Jurisprudence). This means that these laws serve as universal and binding rules for all states."
Azerbaijani attacks on Armenian Christians and their ancient heritage in the region have increased following the 19 September offensive and, along with the ethnic cleansing that is taking place, there are fears that this heritage will be destroyed.
Source: Caucasus Heritage Watch; Monument Watch
Photos: Screenshots from the video & geolocation by @zcjbrooker X (Twitter) user